Fermented foods have been part of the human diet since as early as 6000 B.C. With the need for a way to preserve food, it did not take long for our species to observe fermentation in nature and replicate the process. Since then civilizations worldwide have had signature fermented dishes. Some common examples include Korean kimchi or the Sauerkraut in Germany. Bread, cheese, and alcohol are also all creations which stem from the use of fermentation.
Prior to refrigeration cultures relied on fermentation for survival. Whether preserving milk, cabbage, or even in some cases root vegetables, people have relied on fermentation for its health benefits and preservative attributes for most of our history.
After the advent of refrigeration our need for the preservative aspect of fermented foods has diminished. As our reliance on fermented foods has diminished, so has its consumption. Along with cold storage, the packaging and storage industry has made leaps and bounds in terms of technological improvements. The fermented foods which were once homemade healers are now produced and packaged in ways which kill all of the healthy live cultures. Overall, people are now eating less fermented foods and when they do consume them the product is now void of it’s natural benefits.
Since the mid-nineties people have started to realize how important these live cultures were to our species. Since then research has been heavily conducted on the effects of probiotics. With more and more research proving the health benefits of probiotics they are regaining popularity once again.